Can't Buy Me Love
by FireSyNNs
Summary: SQW Jan 2015 No curse AU. Henry bites into the apple turn over and nothing happens because magic isn't real. Emma leaves town and is supposed to come back for Henry's birthday, but she doesn't show. Tired of Emma acting like a deadbeat dad, Regina goes off on a mission to yell at her in Boston, but ends up pretending to be Emma's wife. (And then yelling at her)
1. Chapter 1

**Note: There will be at least one more chapter that I will post as soon as it's finished.**

**Warnings: past gang violence, repercussions of violence**

* * *

Henry bit into the apple turnover. He knew what it would mean, what it would do to him, but he had to show her, he had to make her see. If she left it would all be over and nobody would ever get their happy ending.

Emma frowned as Henry continued to chew. "See? Do you want to have some ice-cream with that? Then we can go back to talking about how things are going to change."

Henry took another bite, and another as Emma fished the ice-cream out of the freezer. She turned around with the cartoon of ice cream and two spoons to find Henry had already devoured half the turnover. It was bigger than his face when he started, she didn't know whether to be worried or impressed.

"I guess you're not sharing then."

Henry pulled the turnover away from his mouth and stared at it. "I don't understand." He frowned. "It's apple. It's supposed to be poison."

"Henry." Emma abandoned the ice-cream and spoons on the counter. She bent down to his level and gently gripped both his shoulders to try to give her next words their best chance at getting through to him. "Your mom isn't an evil queen. Sure she's a little bossy, and kind of mean some times...really mean sometimes..." Emma shook her head and got back to the matter at hand. "She loves you and she's your mom. There is no curse. Okay?"

Tears welled in Henry's eyes. He couldn't make her believe and he didn't know what to believe anymore. All he knew for sure was if there was no curse then there was no way he could convince Emma to stay.

The turnover fell from his hands, forgotten. He rushed into the woman who had given him life and held on with everything he could. "Please don't go."

Emma returned the embrace with both arms and closed her eyes as her heart broke. She didn't want to leave him, but she knew it was the best thing she could do for him right now. "I have to."

…

Four Months Later

Music bumped loudly from the backyard of the mayoral mansion. It reverberated into the house and gave Regina a headache that pulsed the vein on her forehead. She had to get the music turned down or her head just might explode.

The mayoral mansion was filled to brim with Henry's new found friends and classmates. It was his eleventh birthday party and for the first time he actually had friends to invite. He had made much progress since Emma left, and had slowly stopped bringing up any notion of evil queens and saviors. Sometimes Henry would smile and for a moment Regina let herself believe that her son didn't still despise her.

She made her way through the sea of children and parents until she made it outside where Ruby Lucas was either practicing being a terrible DJ or frantically looking for the volume knob. Instead of joining Ruby's quest Regina took a short cut and unplugged the machine.

"Oh thank god!" Ruby said too loudly with remnant effects from the music blasting in her ears. "My hero!" She declared just as loudly when she spotted Regina holding the cord.

Regina suppressed her smirk. "Remind me not to tip you."

"Joke's on you, I volunteered for this gig."

"I meant ever."

Ruby narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue in protest.

Regina rolled her own, both in disbelief that Ruby could be so immature and that the immature fool had somehow become her closet friend; her only friend.

She let the cord drop from her hand and watched the guests mingle in the backyard, ruining her lawn. "What do you think? Is the party a success?"

Ruby wasn't fooled by Regina's stoic appearance. She had spent enough time with the woman to speak Madam Mayor fluently. She could see all the insecurities Regina was so good at pretending she didn't have. "Everyone's having a good time. You did good Regina." Ruby smiled in hopes of eliciting one from the too serious mayor.

Regina frowned instead, unable to locate the person she was searching for as she glanced around the yard and back inside through the glass doors. "Where's Henry?"

Ruby's eyes took a sweep of their own and her smile turned sympathetic. "He said he was going to go wait for Emma, but that was an hour ago."

Regina sighed deeply. Emma Swan continued to be a pain in her backside even when the woman wasn't in town. Henry's hero worship had yet to subside. If by some miracle Emma let him down, Henry always found a way to blame Regina. Everything was always Regina's fault, including Emma's last 3 cancellations. She rubbed at her temple, fighting the headache that threatened to come back. "Do you know where she is?"

Ruby shook her head. "I haven't spoken to her in a few days, but she did say she was coming."

"She RSVP'd with me as well." Not that it necessarily meant anything. Regina had always expected Emma to bail. She was more surprised to find she was disappointed in the blonde for actually doing so. "I better go check on Henry."

"Good luck!" Ruby called to Regina's retreating form. She was going to need it.

Regina opened the front door and finally found Henry sitting on the front step in-between the pillars. His posture straightened with the sound of every passing car, but his shoulders drooped again when he realized it wasn't Emma.

Regina's heart broke seeing her son's sad form. She carefully held her skirt in place and lowered herself to join him on the step. She knew she couldn't make it better, but she wouldn't let him be alone. "You're missing the party." She gently spoke after moments of silence. He shrugged without so much as glancing in her direction. "Don't you want to have fun with your friends?"

He didn't shrug again or give any indication that he had heard her. He kept his eyes on the pathway to the house just watching and listening for any sign of his 'real' mother.

Regina stayed with him even in his silence. Even if she wasn't the mother he wanted she wouldn't let her little boy be alone, especially on his birthday.

"Emma's not coming is she?" Henry finally spoke after the cold from the ground had seeped through Regina's skirt.

"We could try calling her."

"I already did." He picked up the phone he had hidden on his other side. "Her phone's off." His lip trembled as he did his best to fight back the tears.

"Henry," She reached out a consoling hand, but Henry leaned away as soon as he felt its presence.

"Don't pretend like you care." He stood to get further away and talked down to her. The tears continued to well in his eyes with a ting of anger. "You didn't want her to come anyway. You probably told her not to. You can't keep her from me."

"Henry," She stayed seated on the step and resisted the urge to reach out to him again. "I'm not trying to, I promise you."

He shook his head defiantly as the tears finally ran down his cheeks. "You're a liar, you'll never change!"

"Henry," She stood to try to grab him before he ran away. As always, he slipped right through her fingers. He ran down the pathway away from the house. "Henry!" She called out for him again, but he was already gone.

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose to fight back tears of her own. It was always one step forward two steps back.

"Want me to go after him?"

Regina was startled by Ruby's voice behind her. She composed herself before turning back to her friend. "Do you think he would listen to you?"

Ruby shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt to try."

"Yes, try. Is that too much so ask?" She picked up the discarded phone and gripped it harder than was necessary.

"Uh..." Regina's sudden anger gave Ruby the distinct feeling she was talking about somebody else; somebody blonder.

She pulled her eyes away from the phone to look at her friend. "Would you mind watching Henry until I get back?"

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"Hunting." Regina's eyes were back on the phone.

"...I'm not even going to ask."

Regina dialed the number as Ruby started her quest of finding Henry.

A new fire burned in her eyes as she held the phone to her ear. It didn't ring once before a familiar voice came through the line. "Hey, it's Emma, I'm busy. Leave a message."

"Prepare yourself, Miss Swan. I'm coming for you."

…

Regina was ready to go home as soon as she got to Boston. The drive was long and tedious. Sitting in big city traffic only ground down the last of her patience.

She had Emma's address memorized from the constant flow of letters Henry sent out and received. She didn't understand why they didn't Email like normal people, but Henry seemed to enjoy it so she let them have their fun.

It eased her annoyance to find at least Emma's apartment wasn't a complete hovel. It was a modest complex, though she did find the security measures to be lacking. She had no trouble getting past the locked doors. She put on her friendliest face and simply waited for someone else to leave the building, the neighbor even did her the courtesy of holding the door open to let her in.

She made her way to Emma's floor, getting turned around a few time but eventually figuring out which way the numbers went. She raised an eyebrow as she passed a door cordoned off by yellow police tape.

She had to turn around again when she noticed the numbers had gotten too high and she had passed Emma's apartment. She ran into the same problem as the numbers got too low. She went back up, only to find her way back to the police tape. She read the numbers on the door and her eyes widened as an ominous feeling crept into her chest. "No." A quiet gasp escaped her. "Emma."

Her hand reached out to touch the door; it creaked open with the light pressure. She took a quick glance around for any prying eyes and pushed the door open further.

Still standing in the hall, it was obvious the apartment was destroyed. She ducked under the police tape to investigate further. The sofa was tipped over and the coffee table in front of it lay in pieces. A lamp and television didn't fare much better, shattered just the same. The holes in the walls varied in size, as big as a fist sized and as small as bullet. It was when she noticed the blood stains in the carpet that she couldn't hide her concern anymore.

Frantically, shee pulled her phone from her purse and dialed the idiot.

"Hey, it's Emma, I'm busy. Leave a mes-"

"Damn it Emma." She hung up before the recording finished. "Where are you?" She spoke into the empty, ruined apartment.

"Should you be in there, young lady?" A little old lady voice came from the open door.

Regina turned to find there was in fact a little old lady standing there, watching her.

She adjusted her large bifocals to get a better look at the trespassing mayor. "Are you one of Emma's friends?"

"I-" Technically the answer was no, but she felt like that wouldn't get her anywhere so she opted for a different truth. "She's the mother of my son."

"Oh, you're one of those lebby-what's-its." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Emma never mentioned she is a lady gay. That explains so much." She continued speaking as Regina met her at the door. "I don't recall her ever mentioning having a son either. Are you divorced?" She didn't give the stunned mayor a chance to answer. "I suppose I can't blame her for not wanting to talk about it. Look at you, you're gorgeous. I'd be ashamed to have divorced you as well." She still didn't give Regina time to respond, not that that she knew how. "Such a shame what happened to her though. Your boy must be devastated."

"You know what happened?" Regina found her voice.

"Oh, yes. The whole building does. There was police and paramedics. I live right next door, I heard the whole thing. Your Emma put up quite the fight."

"Wha-" The feeling in her chest gripped harder as her heart pounded. "Is she-" Regina didn't know what to ask. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to know. She couldn't begin to imagine how she would face Henry if the worse had happened.

The little old lady saw the turmoil in Regina's eyes. "Oh you poor dear, no one told you?"

Regina shook her head.

"Come here." The little old lady reach a hand under the police tape.

Regina accepted the hand and with her other closed the door behind her as she left the apartment.

The little old lady held Regina's hand in both of hers and stood close enough to have to tilt her head back to look at Regina properly. "Some thugs broke into her apartment. Nothing like that has ever happened before; the police believe she was targeted. I tried to check in on her at Boston Medical, but they wouldn't give me any details because I'm not family."

The tightness in Regina's chest release enough for her to breathe again. "She's alive." She said more to reassure herself.

"Yes. That much I'm sure of."

"I have to go." Regina had a new mission. She pulled her hand away and hurried to find the elevator. "Thank you!" She called back, suddenly remembering her manners.

…

She sped through the streets of Boston, weaving through traffic in her black Mercedes. She ran three red lights in the process. The white lights that flashed told her to expect infraction fines in the mail.

At the hospital, her pace never slowed. The automatic doors almost didn't open fast enough to accommodate her speed. She read every sign as she passed them until she figured out where she was going.

"Can I help you?" A nurse asked as soon as Regina arrived to what she thought was the right floor.

She closed the distance to the nurses' station before she spoke. "I'm looking for Emma Swan."

The nurse typed the name in to the computer. "Are you family?"

She couldn't say no. Saying no would mean being turned away, but she wasn't comfortable saying yes either.

Under the counter, she switched her ring from her right hand to her left and could only hope the nurse would jump to similar conclusions as the little old lady. She brought both her hands up on the counter in plain view. With genuine sincerity she told him the truth. "She's the mother of my son."

"Oh," The nurse's surprise was followed by more typing and clicking of a mouse. "That's strange." He looked up from his computer screen. "Emma's file doesn't mention being married."

"I'm not surprised." Regina kept up with the truth. "She has always been lacking when paper work is involved."

"You were just recently married?"

"You could say that."

"Congratulations." The nurse smiled brightly.

Regina tried to return it with her best politician smile, but it may have come out as more of a grimace.

The nurse got up from his desk and signaled for Regina to follow. "Right this way, Mrs. Swan."

With those last two words she realized she had made a horrible, horrible mistake. The grimace shot into her eyes as her teeth clenched tightly together.

The nurse stopped at a closed door and turned back to Regina as he put his hand on the handle to open it. "Before we go in there, I just want to reassure you that it's not as bad as it looks. She's a little banged up and will be in pain for some time, but the doctors are sure she'll make a full recovery. She's young and in good health. She'll bounce back."

The nurse meant well, but his reassurances only built up Regina's anxieties. She was tired of not knowing. She just wanted to rip the Band-Aid off and see for herself.

She got her wish as the door slowly swung open. Her breath caught in her throat as Emma entered her sight.

Emma's face was black, blue, and swollen, she had a split lip and her head was wrapped in a bandage. The knuckles on her left hand were red and scabbing, while her right was covered in a white cast.

"Emma." Regina whispered, but Emma's eyes didn't open.

"She's just sleeping." The nurse explained. "We gave her something for the pain. It might be some time before she wakes up. She was exhausted last time I saw her."

Regina stepped closer to the unconscious blonde. Her hand hovered over Emma's bare arm, where she discovered more scratches and bruises. "What happened?" She asked in a low voice to keep from disturbing Emma's sleep.

"She was attacked, that's all I know. The police didn't talk to you?"

"I…I was out of town. I didn't know." She gently let a finger trail on an unscathed patch of skin on Emma's arm. Emma finger's twitched and Regina snapped her hand back to her side, afraid she had hurt her. She looked back up at the nurse with new levels of anxiety.

"She's a twitcher." He shrugged. "She's fine. You can hold her hand if you want." He pointed to the blonde's left. "Just be mindful of her knuckles."

He left the room, promising to send the doctor to answer any questions and to be back later to check in on them. They would have a lot to discuss in terms of Emma's recovery once she woke up. Until then, Regina was left alone with her son's unconscious birth mother and she had no idea what to do.

She couldn't sit against the wall while pretending to be a dutiful wife. She dragged a chair to Emma's bedside and sat close to her.

She considered calling Ruby to let her know the situation, but she knew it would only worry her, and Henry would pick up on it. She figured she was already doing enough worrying for both of them and decided it would be best just to wait to get more information from the doctor.

She eyed Emma's hand remembering the nurse's suggestion. She poked it to test the nurse's assurances that it was not a zombie hand. It didn't move again, but she watched it warily nonetheless.

Her eyes wandered away from Emma's hand and up the blonde's torn up arm to her damaged face. Regina let out a discontented sigh. "What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into now, Miss Swan?" She was disappointed when Emma didn't respond. No rolling of the eyes or abrasive talk back. Emma was still and quiet. Along with the cuts and bruises, Regina found they were not colors she enjoyed on the blonde.

She rummaged through her purse for something prettier to look at and pulled out an old photograph. She looked at in longingly as a smiling Henry looked back at her. It was taken just after his eighth birthday before both their worlds had fallen apart and he still smiled at her.

She wondered how different things would be if she had chosen to lie to him when he asked about being adopted. All she had to do was call Mr. Gold a liar and make up some story about an absentee father. She knew for a fact Emma had no trouble conjuring up a fable about such a father, and Henry had believed every word.

She set the picture on the nightstand and leaned it up against a pink pitcher of water so it could stand watch over Emma. At least that way someone Emma actually liked could be there for her.

Henry wouldn't hesitate to hold Emma's hand if he were there. He would hold on and never let go, so he could make sure Emma wouldn't feel alone.

Regina was never was much of a hand holder. She wasn't used to any displays of physical affection. Henry had changed her, constantly clinging on to her in the early years of his life. He was right about hand holding, it made everything a little bit better and made her never feel alone.

She missed it.

Regina's eyes wandered back to Emma's hand. She sighed deeply. "If I hold your hand will you promise to be alright?"

Emma's finger twitched up in what Regina interpreted as a 'yes'.

"You better not be lying to me." She warned.

She gently nudged her hand under Emma's palm and let her fingers curl back up against the back of Emma's hand. Regina couldn't be certain, but she thought she felt Emma's hand twitch again to try to close around hers.

…

Regina didn't remember falling asleep, but she woke up to the sounds of someone moving around. Her eyes blinked open and the crick in her neck let her know she slept in a chair.

"Sorry," The nurse smiled guiltily standing on the other side of Emma's bed. "I didn't mean to wake you. I just have to check on Emma's bandages." He carefully lifted Emma's head and started to unwrap the bandage.

Emma's hand had tightened around Regina's overnight. She had to practically pry it off finger by finger to free herself.

Regina discovered new cricks in her body as she stood up and stretched. She had a desperate need to move around, and she needed coffee, lots and lots of coffee.

"The cafeteria serves decent coffee if you're interested." The nurse revealed himself as some sort of mind reader.

Regina nodded in appreciation. She would need at least two cups of coffee before she could thank him coherently. The six missed calls from Ruby told her to make it three cups of coffee. She excused herself from the room to let him work and get herself four cups of coffee just to be safe.

…

_Ow._ The throbbing pain throughout Emma's body started to come back as she slipped out of dreamland and the remnants of the drugs she was given faded away. It hurt to breathe, probably something to do with her fractured ribs. She stared up at the ceiling and tried to focus on not breathing too efficiently to minimize the pain.

The nurse's head popped in to block Emma's view of the ceiling. "Morin' sunshine." His cheery voice and bright white smile made her head pound. She liked Nurse Krem, but Emma was not in the mood for his wonderfulness. "How's the pain today?"

Emma only grunted in response.

"That bad huh?" He inspected the morphine drip. "I'll talk to the doctor about giving you more of the good stuff."

Emma gave a more appreciative grunt.

"Are you thirsty?" He chuckled when Emma licked her lips in anticipation. At the water pitcher he discovered the photograph and smiled brightly again. "Is this your son?" He showed Emma the picture.

Ignoring her body's protest she reached for the picture and studied it in bewilderment. It wasn't a picture she had ever seen before. He was younger than when she had first met him and he was missing his two front teeth.

"What's his name?" Nurse Krem asked.

"Henry." She finally looked at him. "Where'd if come from?"

He placed the straw in her mouth and held the cup to let her get a drink of water. "Your wife must have left it."

Emma choked on the water and began a coughing fit that made all her injuries burn.

"Whoa!" Nurse Krem helped Emma sit up. "You alright there?" He asked as the fit ended.

"My what?"

"Your wife." He settled Emma back down. "Why didn't you tell me you were married? I would've tracked her down for you. She came in last night looking for you. She's probably still a little sore from sleeping in that chair. She held your hand the whole night." He gave Emma's shoulder a gentle congratulatory fist bump. "That's some dedication."

"My…wife?" Emma asked for clarity.

"She should be back soon. I think she just went to stretch her legs and grab some coffee."

Maybe Emma hit her head harder than she had thought, she was pretty sure she didn't have a wife. Either Nurse Krem was mistaken or Emma's medical bills were going to get a lot more expensive.

"I don't-" The door opened before Emma could confess.

"There she is." Krem smiled at Regina.

"Regina!?" The shock of seeing her almost made her forget the pain.

"Emma." Regina actually looked relieved. There was definitely something going on with Emma's brain.

"I'll leave you guys to it." Krem excused himself. "If you're going to yell at her for not calling you sooner, please do it gently."

"Hi." It was all she could think to say once they were alone.

"Well?" Regina crossed her arms and the angry face Emma knew so well came back. "Why didn't you call? Send smoke signals, a text message, anything. You missed our son's birthday. He thinks you stood him up. Again."

"Our son?"

"Yes, Miss Swan. Henry. The boy you gave birth to and turned against me. You do remember him don't you?" The bite in Regina's voice was lessened by the mixture of hurt and concern in her eyes.

Things seemed to be more normal than Emma had feared. "So, we're not actually married and this bump on my head didn't make me forget?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "No you buffoon. You watch too many soap operas."

"Oh thank god." Emma relaxed and sank into the bed.

"No need to be so torn up about it, dear."

The split in Emma's lip stopped her from grinning as wide as she wanted to. "I would just hate to forget our first date. Who do think made the first move?"

Regina brushed off Emma's teasing. She didn't give her so much as an eye roll. "Are you going to answer the question?"

Emma sighed and regretted it immediately as the extra breath pushed against her ribs. "What was I supposed to say? 'Sorry kid, can't make it. Got the shit beat out of me.'"

"You should have called me. I would have been here sooner."

The pounding in her head started a new symphony. "What do you care?"

"You asked to stay in Henry's life. You're important to him, so I expect you to try a little harder to stay alive."

Emma tried to laugh, but it came out more of a yelp. She clutched her left arm around her ribs.

"What on earth happened to you?"

Emma sighed more carefully. "Turns out when you go after the leader of a motorcycle gang, the motorcycle gang goes after you." She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again Regina was still staring at her. "What?"

Regina's arms unraveled as her anger flared up again. "Why would you do something so stupid?"

"He had a high bounty on his head. It was a good pay day." She half shrugged.

"You risked your life for money?"

"Of course not." Emma denied it.

"And what about all the other times you failed to show up? Were you off playing Russian roulette with the mafia?"

Emma had had enough of Regina's exasperated tone. She didn't need a lecture about her career choices. "I just wanted to be able to get the kid something nice, you know? Everything I never had, maybe start saving up for his future. College is really expensive, and he'll probably get into an Ivy League or something." She sank further into the bed. "Why did you have to make him so smart?"

Regina stared with an angry crease on her forehead. "You idiot." She had called Emma an idiot a countless amount of time, but all of those lacked the ferocity Regina had now. "I have money." Her fingers thumped against her chest when she brought her hand up to emphasize her point. "I didn't let you stay in his life so you could kill yourself trying to give him things. He already has things. He has toys, and comic books, and useless gadgets that he never uses and come his sixtieth birthday he'll have his pick of car. I can give him everything else, Miss Swan, but you already have the thing he needs most. The one thing he doesn't want from me." Regina eyes began to water.

Intrigued, Emma sat up straighter and regretted her movement. When the pain settled again she looked into Regina's eyes and asked her to continue.

"Love." Regina seemed to deflate.

Emma always knew Regina was a woman at the end of her rope, she was just too stubborn to ever let go. There in that hospital room Regina couldn't hold. The mask of anger melted away and revealed the deep seeded sadness Regina tried so hard to lock away.

"You can't really believe that."

Regina didn't need to speak; Emma already saw the answer in her eyes. There was a slouch to her walk. It was like she was giving up as she lowered herself in the chair by Emma's bed. "Your son hates me."

"Our son." Emma corrected and then remembered to correct the rest. "And he doesn't hate you."

Regina picked up the forgotten picture of Henry on Emma's bed. She let her hand rest there and gazed at it with a longing Emma often felt; the longing to love and be loved.

Emma's fingers fidgeted against the blankets, unsure of what to do with Regina's new vulnerability. "Does he still call you the Evil Queen?"

"Yes," Regina sighed. "But Dr. Hopper reassures me he's let go of all the fairytale nonsense. He only does it to hurt me."

"Seriously?" The part of Emma's brow that wasn't swollen furrowed in sympathy.

"I suppose we know where that falls in nature versus nurture."

The self-depreciation panged away at Emma's heart, as if she didn't already have enough pain to deal with. She inched her hand over to where Regina had hers on the bed. She tucked her fingers into Regina's palm and gave a soft reassuring squeeze. "He'll come around."

Regina's walls began to come back as she brought her eyes up to meet Emma's and pulled her hand away.

"What? You can hold my hand all night, but I can't hold yours for a second?"

Regina's eyes grew wide, scandalized.

Her lip almost spilt open with her satisfied grin. "Nurse Krem told me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Regina did her best to keep her eyes trained on the crossword puzzle. Henry and Ruby would arrive at the hospital soon. After catching Emma up on how Henry was doing they had run out of things to talk about. The silence would have not been so awkward for Regina if only Emma would stop her constant fidgeting. The movements were one thing, but the grunts of pain that came with them were harder to ignore.

Regina rested her pen to look at her sternly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Emma answered casually without making eye contact.

Regina didn't believe her to begin with, but the gig was up as Emma couldn't wait two seconds to start moving around under her blankets again. "Miss Swan."

Emma dropped her head back on her pillow and let out a loud groan. "Fine." Carefully, she sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed.

Regina was greeted by Emma's exposed back. Her hospital gown was loosely tied and did nothing to cover up the canvas of bruises.

"Enjoy the view."

It was Regina's only warning before Emma nudged the IV rack into reach of her left hand and pulled herself to her feet. Emma's pasty white butt might have been the only part of her that was left unmarred. With her first step she tried and failed to hide the pain. She held her ribs with her casted arm.

Regina shot to her feet, tossing the crossword puzzle and pen aside. "What are you doing?" She asked with concern.

The blonde gazed shamefully at the floor. "I have to pee."

"Well why didn't you say so? Let me get the nurse."

"I can do it." She took another step to prove her point. The pain knocked the wind out of her. She bent forward in an attempt to get it back and hide the water in her eyes.

"Emma!" Regina worried. She hurried to the other side of the bed. She helped hold her up with a hand on her waist and another on her elbow.

"Thanks." Emma grumbled as they slowly made their way to the room's bathroom. They made it as far as the door when Emma stopped them. "I got it from here."

"Emma…"

"Regina, I said I got it." Emma's stern voice left no room for argument. She shuffled in the rest of the way and left Regina behind on the other side of the door.

"I'm here if you need me." She said loud enough to get through the wood of the door. She leaned against the wall to wait for Emma. "What am I doing?" She mumbled, shaking her head to herself. It was obvious the stubborn oaf didn't want her help and yet Regina had the constant urge to keep trying. If Emma wasn't going to take care of herself then she was going to do everything in her power to keep Emma alive.

A crash sounded from inside the bathroom. "I'm okay!" Emma called out before Regina could ask.

Emma wasn't going to make it easy.

…

Tired, sore, and sweaty Emma made it back to bed without any further injuries. She sat on the bed, and without prompting, Regina lifted her legs into it. The woman who she had once considered the enemy pulled the blankets up and basically tucked her into bed.

"Regina…" She found herself saying.

"Hmm?" Regina hummed as she focused on carefully freeing Emma's arms from the blankets so they rested on top.

"Why are you doing this?" They spent the better part of a year being awful to one another. Emma had crashed down into more than the town sign. It may have been Henry that brought her to town, but Emma had decided for herself to stick around. She interested herself into Henry and Regina's lives without a real invitation. But after everything here was Regina being good to her, and Emma didn't understand.

Regina paused her movements, surprised by the question. "I told you." She thought of something to say after a moment of simply looming over Emma. "Henry loves you. You're important to him therefore-" She cut herself off.

"Therefore?" Emma lightly pushed wanting to know where it was going. Suddenly she found herself staring deep into chocolate eyes. Eyes that were so close staring right back into hers. Emma held her breathe as Regina seemed to move closer.

Emma felt Regina's breath on her lips as she whispered. "I have to tolerate you."

Her breath escape in a puff as Regina backed away with a smirk. She watched Regina settle back into her chair and pick up a book. It seemed they would go back to ignoring each other until Henry showed up. Something tugged inside her chest. Something like disappointment?

Emma rolled her eyes at herself and stared at the ceiling. She was bored of being stuck in a hospital bed.

It wasn't long until Nurse Krem came in with a tray of food to distract her. He adjusted her bed to help her stare at the food in front of her. It was a late breakfast of blueberry pancakes and oatmeal. Her empty stomach rumbled with need. She knew if she tried to reach for it the movement would cause a bite in her shoulder. She was still tired from her trip the bathroom and just didn't have the energy to try.

"Emma, you have to eat. How do you expect to heal if your body doesn't have any energy to burn?" Nurse Krem chastised. "Back me up here, Mrs. Swan."

Regina was going to give herself an aneurysm with the way she was trying not to cringe while forcing a smile. "Please, call me Regina."

"Alright, Regina." He smiled, none the wiser. "Pull your wife card and tell Emma to eat."

"Nurse Krem is right, dear. You need your strength."

"If you say so, babe." Emma grumbled. At least if Regina was still playing the charade she couldn't openly mock her. She went for it, moving her left arm up inch by inch. She concentrated all her strength. She knew she could make it.

Only, to the rest of the world the amount of effort showing on her face didn't add up to the actual progress of her arm. Regina looked to Nurse Krem to do something.

"Hey champ, don't hurt yourself." He gently pushed her shoulder back until she relaxed. "You have the Mrs. here to help you with all the heavy lifting." He picked up the plastic fork from the tray and reached across Emma to hand it to Regina.

Regina hesitated for a moment staring at the offered utensil but eventually daintily accepted it.

They were both unsure about the first bite. Regina took her time cutting them up and getting just the right about of maple syrup on them. When she stalled for as much time as she could, she presented a fork full of pancake triangles to Emma's mouth. "Open."

Emma narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

"Would you prefer I make airplane noises?"

"I like trains." Emma gave a lopsided grin.

"You're a child."

Nurse Krem chuckled at their antics as he finished filling out some details on her chart. "Make sure she eats as much as she can. Airplanes or trains."

Regina tried again, bringing the fork up to Emma's mouth as Nurse Krem closed the door behind himself, but Emma only pressed her lips tighter. "Miss Swan." Regina chastised in frustration.

"Mrs. Swan?" Emma winked.

The mayor sighed deeply before going in for another attempt. She locked eyes with the blonde and glared into her soul. "Choo. Choo." She cheated. As soon as Emma opened her mouth to laugh, Regina shoved a bite of pancakes into it.

She immediately regretted the decision. Her glare disappeared and was replaced by a frown and furrowed brow, worried that she had been too rough with the already injured blonde.

Emma watched the emotions play out on her face. There was no denying it anymore. She chewed with a smug smile on her face as the thought went through her head; Regina Mills cared about her.

…

Henry had been fidgeting since Regina talked to him on the phone and told him the G-rated version of what happened to Emma. Ruby did her best to distract him on the drive over, but she had trouble drawing him out of his own head for more than two seconds.

"Just remember what your mom said." Ruby tried again in the elevator ride up to Emma's floor. "Emma's a little beat up, but she's going to be okay." She couldn't be sure he was even listening.

He kept his eyes forward and didn't bother to acknowledge Ruby had even spoken to him. How Regina put him with him day in and day out, she'd never know.

The elevator slowed to a stop on their floor. Henry ran out of the elevator before the doors fully opened. Of course he didn't actually know where he was going and darted away in the wrong direction.

Ruby sighed, but at least he was moving like a human again. She causally left the elevator and propped herself against a wall to wait for boy wonder to find his way back.

If Henry had a tail it would be between his legs as he came down the hall, making his way back to Ruby with slumped shoulders.

Ruby uncrossed her arms when he stopped in front of her. "Are you actually going to listen to me now?"

Henry nodded without looking at her.

Ruby sighed, "Come on." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders with a reassuring squeeze and followed the directions Regina had given to navigate the halls.

…

The door burst open just as Regina was bringing a spoonful of oatmeal to Emma's mouth. In the doorway Ruby had her hand up to knock, but Henry came running through.

"Emma!" He made no sign of slowing down. He was going to crash right into her.

"Henry, no!" Regina tossed the spoon onto the hospital table and stood to get in his way. She captured him in her arms and held him tight. They nearly toppled over with his momentum.

"Let me go!" Henry yelled, struggling in her arms. "You can't keep me from her! You're not my real mom!"

"Henry!" Both Emma and Ruby chastised.

Henry stopped struggling enough for Regina to hold him at arm's length. "I'm not trying to keep you from her. She's hurt. You have to be gentle."

He peeked around Regina and his eyes widened as he really saw Emma for the first time.

The tension in his shoulders ceased and she knew it was safe to let him go. She stepped away and joined Ruby by the door.

Ruby captured Regina's hand in her own and gave it a tight squeeze. "You okay?" She asked quietly.

Regina only managed a tight smile and a nod. Ruby bumped her shoulder into the mayor's, eliciting a better smile. It was a small smile, but it was real.

Emma watched the exchange, but Henry's shuffling drew her attention to him as he came closer. "Is it really not as bad as it looks?"

"Get in here, kid." She motioned him in for a hug.

He was careful, but she flinched as his head came down on her sore shoulder. She managed to get one arm around him, but still didn't have the strength to rub his back like she wanted too.

Ruby had a sly smirk on her face as she leaned in to whisper in Regina's ear. "Were you feeding Emma?"

"Shut up." She snapped back as quietly as she could manage.

Emma's eyes narrowed. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the blush spreading across Regina's cheeks and the way Ruby laughed and wrapped an arm around her spoke volumes. It didn't make any sense.

…

"How many were there?" Henry sat cross-legged at the end of Emma's bed trying to extract every detail of Emma's fight against the bikers.

It was a delicate game of telling him only enough to answer his question and satisfy his curiosity. It would have worked if only he would run out of questions.

She looked over to Regina, who had migrated back into her chair, to see if it was a question she could answer honestly, but she was busy rubbing at her neck.

"No more than I could handle." Emma went for the safe answer.

"Like 10?"

Emma chuckled as Henry nearly hopped in excitement. "Sure kid, like 10." She looked back over to Regina to share her amusement, but she had moved on to shifting in her chair uncomfortably.

Before she could say anything about it Ruby stepped up behind the mayor and took over, massaging Regina's shoulders and neck.

"Mmm, thank you." She practically moaned.

** "**Mhm." Ruby simply hummed in return.

The eyebrow that wasn't swollen shot up to Emma's hair line. Whatever was going on, she didn't like it.

"Emma…" Henry picked at the seam on his jeans. "The biker guys are in jail now, right? They're not coming back?"

His worried face distracted and brought her back to what was important. It broke her heart to see him scared for her. "Hey," She reached for him as best she could and he met her hand with his most of the way. "Don't worry about that. Everything's fine." The ones who attacked her where safely locked away, but there were more where they come from. Henry, of course, didn't need to know that. She gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday."

"It's okay." He shrugged without really looking at her.

"How was the party?"

He just shrugged again.

"That good, huh?" She risked another glance at Regina.

Ruby was finally keeping her hands to herself, but Regina was staring at her intently.

"Um," She turned away from her and back to their son. "Was there cake?"

The question brought back his smile and he practically lit up. "Double chocolate. I saved you a slice."

"Awesome! I can't wait." She smiled back.

"Somebody's popular today." Nurse Krem came through the open door teasing Emma. He paused mid-step to take a second look at the boy. "You must be Henry." He welcomed the new comers with a wide smile. "You're older than in your picture."

Henry's eyes squinted, wondering how a stranger had seen a younger picture of him.

Krem examined the contents left over on the pushed aside hospital table. "Nice job Mrs. Swan," He said, impressed. "That's the most Emma's eaten since she's been here."

Henry's squinted eyes moved over to Regina and were joined by Ruby's raised eyebrow.

"Yes, well." Regina cleared her throat. "She really likes trains." She managed to further confuse them.

He chuckled as he once more filled out a chart. "So Emma, how do you feel about going home today?"

"You're kicking me out?" She frowned. Normally she would jump at the chance to get out of the hospital, but there was something unappealing about going back to her trashed apartment and suffering alone.

"Only if you're up for it. The doctor prescribed some medication to help manage the pain."

"I guess." Emma sighed. She'd survive, just like she always did.

"Great." Krem picked up the food tray. "I'll make sure your paperwork gets started."

The room was quiet until Krem made his exit. Ruby checked to make sure he was really gone and a smirk overtook her face. "Mrs. Swan? When did that happen?"

"Last night apparently." Emma said in mock adoration. "We held hands all night."

"Emma," Regina snapped. "Shut up."

"Make me." Emma's grin slowly faded as Regina's eyebrow arched. She found the clicker to her morphine drip and spammed the button in hopes of blaming her accidental flirting on the drugs. She found Henry's squinty eyes still on her, confused as ever. "So, cake." She turned the conversation back to something he would understand. "I could go for some chocolate now, actually."

"I'll get you some!" He lit up and hoped off the bed in a hurry. He made it as far as the door before he turned around. "I don't have any money."

Regina sighed as she stood, collecting her purse. "Let's go then." Any excuse to get out of that chair.

Ruby filled the vacant seat almost immediately. "You should have called."

"I know." She didn't want to look at her. Without Henry there to keep up with, she used the excuse of the exhaustion to close her eyes. Silence fell upon them as they waited for mother and son to return.

Ruby got comfortable, kicking her feet up on Emma's bed and leaning back in the chair. "Seriously Em, Regina and I would have been here in a heartbeat."

_Regina and I. _The words echoed in Emma's head. She hadn't been gone that long. It felt like just yesterday she was listening to Ruby's endless rant about Regina's snootiness. Now they were touching and smiling at each other and having secret conversations that made Regina blush.

Emma pushed Ruby's feet off the bed.

"What the hell?" Ruby nearly fell out of the chair.

Emma's eyes snapped open to stare accusingly at her. "When did you and Regina get so chummy?"

"A lot can change in a few months." Ruby shrugged.

"What, so you like her now?"

"She's actually kind of funny once you accept she's a sarcastic asshole." Ruby paused to purse her lips. "Don't tell her I said that though. Last thing we need is a sarcastic asshole with an inflated ego."

"You spent hours complaining about her and now all of a sudden you're friends?"

"It's not all of a sudden; we've spent a lot of time together since you've been gone."

Emma's lip curled in frustration. She was starting to get an idea of what kind of time they've been spending together. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you asked me to?"

"I asked you to keep an eye on her, not sleep with her!"

"What?" The same question came from two places, the first from Ruby, and the second from Regina standing in the doorway.

The chair slid backwards as Ruby stood. "I can explain."

"Don't bother." The anger won out in Regina's voice, but the devastation was still there. "I should have known." She held her mask until she turned around, but Henry was suddenly in the doorway holding an armful of candy bars.

"Mom?" He frowned. "What's wrong?"

For a moment she almost believed he actually cared, but then she remembered who she was and what he thought of her. "Ask your mother." The mask reemerged as she strutted passed him.

No amount of chocolate bars could make up for all the confusion he had suffered in such a short time. "What did you do?" He accused the women left in the room.

Ruby bowed her head, heavy with guilt. She couldn't just stand there, after a short delay she made a decision and hurried after her.

"Regina, wait." She caught up with the mayor as she was waiting for the elevator.

Regina's foot tapped with impatience, both at the slow elevator and Ruby's presence. "Go away."

"Just hear me out."

"No." She was done listening to her lies. She was also done waiting for the damn elevator. She pushed through the door to the stairwell.

Level by level Ruby was right on her heels nagging at her. "We have to talk about this."

Regina showed no signs of slowing down, intent on descending all 8 floors.

"Regina, please." Ruby begged, already out of breath and falling behind; cold pizza did not make for a nutritious breakfast. "Where are you even going?!" She called from two staircases up.

Her only response was the fading echo of Regina's heels clicking against the steps as they left her behind.

…

Regina had no idea where she was going. She left the hospital and got into her car, then just drove in circles around the block for a while.

She didn't feel right leaving Henry up there, but it was better than two Mills' stewing in the car. When she lost control like she knew she would, she didn't want him there to see her cry. With Emma unable to move at least she knew he wouldn't go anywhere.

Veering off the path, she found herself going the way she had come, back to Emma's apartment building. She got in the same way, simply waiting until someone came out.

She pushed through the unlocked door and ducked under the police tape. Pausing for a moment to examine the splintered and broken wood where the door latch should go. It was if the door had been kicked open.

She would have worried about burglars, but luckily all of Emma's belonging were destroyed and scattered across the floor. The blood might have been a deterrent to even the lowest of thieves.

Glass crunched under her feet as she did her best to navigate through the disaster zone. The holes in the drywall continued in the hallway. Regina could only imagine what the bigger dents in the walls were made from, perhaps from bodies slamming into them.

She continued into the bedroom. It was a disheveled mess, but a separate hurricane from the rest of the apartment; a hurricane better known as Emma Swan.

Sheets were rumpled at the end of the bed, surely having been there since the beginning of time. She stepped around the clothes and open boxes that were scattered around the room. Kicking one of the boxes she examined its contents and found it full of clothes and Emma's belongings, as if she had never bothered to unpack.

Regina sighed and took it as a sign; she knew what she had to do.

She picked up a few random articles of clothing and tossed them in to random boxes. She couldn't tell what was clean or dirty, but that was Emma's problem. She steered clear of the underwear and bras, but continued gathering things together.

As she closed up the first box, her head snapped up suddenly hearing crunching footsteps in the living room. She cursed herself for not remembering to close the door behind her. She could only imagine what someone would be doing in Emma's apartment, probably looking to finish the job.

She shrunk back to the nightstand, staying low. There was nowhere to go.

Her hand brushed against a long hard cylinder under the bed. She gripped it instinctively, and pulled out a strong, wooden baseball bat.

With the bat tightly in her hands, she scrambled for the door and pressed her back against the adjacent wall. She could only listen as the footsteps wandered around the apartment. Her throat tightened as they turned and headed her way. They came closer and closer until one foot was through the doorway.

Regina swung the bat with everything she could.

"Whoa!" Ruby ducked under the speeding bat. It bounced off the doorframe and left an indentation. Her eyes widened at the bat wielding mayor. "What the hell Regina! You could have took my head off!"

"Yes, well, I didn't." The adrenaline drained away at the sight of Ruby, though it would be a while before her heartrate settled. "Why are you here?" She pointed the bat at her chest accusingly. "Come to spy on me some more?"

"I didn't even know you were here." Ruby reasoned. She pushed the bat aside and brushed passed going further into the room. "Emma sent me to pick up some clothes for when she gets discharged." She peeked into the stuffed boxes and she walked passed them. She finally settled to dig through a box of jeans. "I think I'll hang back and clean up a little bit too. She shouldn't have to come back to this mess."

"She doesn't actually think I'll let her come back here does she?"

Ruby paused and looked up from the box. "You know you're not actually her wife, right? You probably don't get a say."

"She's coming home with us and that's final."

Ruby threw her hands up, surrendering. "It's not me you have to convince."

They finished packing in a silent agreement that Regina would get her way. Regina picked out sweat pants and a tank top that would be sufficient enough for Emma to wear, but she did let Ruby handle the underwear department. Ruby still had some groveling to do and was in no position to fight.

"I'm sorry." Ruby suddenly spoke in the middle of closing up the boxes.

"Not now, Miss Lucas."

The silence lasted only a second before Ruby started again. "I wasn't spying on you. I was spying on Henry." She gave a sheepish smile, but Regina's glare told her it was not any better. "Emma just wanted me to keep an eye out. She was worried."

"Then maybe she should have shown up when she was supposed to, instead of having you pretend to be my friend." Regina snapped.

"I wasn't pretending."

Regina's glare intensified. "You lied to me. You used me."

"Maybe it started off that way, but the more I got to know you the more I saw you're not just a scary mayor."

Regina huffed; Ruby wasn't doing much to plead her case.

"We're friends, Regina, whether you like it or not. I never told Emma anything that anyone else couldn't tell her."

"Like what?" Her curiosity won out.

"Like Henry's kind of brat, but he's okay."

"…Fine." Regina picked up a box, putting a pin in the conversation. She headed for the door expecting Ruby to follow. She paused and turned back as Ruby picked up a box herself. "Why does she think we're sleeping together?"

"Duh!" Ruby laughed. "Because you're hot and she's jealous."

She mulled it over for a moment and nodded. It was logic even she couldn't argue with.

…

"Just in time." Nurse Krem greeted the women as they came into the room and he finished removing the drips and needle from Emma's arm. "Someone's eager to get out of here."

"I bet." Ruby said slyly. "It's a long drive home."

She just got there and already Ruby was raising her suspicions, her apartment was only ten minutes away. "What does that mean?" Her friend evaded her stare so she switched to the mayor. "Regina, what does that mean?"

Regina sighed, her plans of not telling Emma anything until the last possible second were ruined. "We're going back to Stroybrooke. All of us."

"Yes!" Henry shot up from the chair and cheered.

"No." Emma quickly smothered his hopes. Her eyes darted from Regina to Henry, looking for a valid excuse. "My job is here."

"And how much work do you think you're going to get done in your condition?" Regina argued.

"Um," Krem stepped away from Emma. "Why don't I go…something." He sped pass Regina and Ruby and closed the door behind himself.

"I'll be fine at my place."

"And who's going to take care of you?"

Emma recoiled in disgust. "I don't need taken care of."

"Really?" Regina took a predatory step forward. "Then what are you going to do about food? You know that thing you love so much?"

"I'll figure it out." Emma grumbled. "I'll order in or something."

"That would be very convenient, considering your locks don't work. They could let themselves right in, you wouldn't have to get up. Which you have no problem with anyway, right?"

"Alright, I get it, but I can't just drop in on Mary Margaret and ask her to babysit me."

"Who said anything about Mary Margaret?"

Emma's eyes strayed to Ruby.

She opened and closed her mouth. "Uh, I guess you could stay at the B&amp;B. I'm sure Granny wouldn't-"

Regina's dramatic sigh cut her off. "You're staying with me and Henry."

"Yes!" Henry cheered again.

"No." Emma rejected the idea. Her son melted into the chair and crossed his arms in a huff. "I'm sorry, kid, but that's just not gonna happen. I'll stay with Ruby."

"Miss Lucas does not have the time nor the resources to assist you the way I can. No offense." Regina threw in at the end for good measure.

"Facts are fact." Ruby agreed with her friend.

"You're the mayor." Emma reminded. "How can you have more time than a waitress? No offense."

Ruby crossed her arms very offended.

"I can work from home when necessary, and Henry will be there to help with the small things. Right, Henry?"

"Right." He was hesitant to agree, afraid Emma would shoot him down again.

"It will only be for a few weeks Miss Swan, just until you're back on your feet." Regina pressed. "Then you can go back to your sad little apartment."

"It's not that bad is it?" Emma wondered.

"No." Regina reassured. "It's worse."

Emma relented. Her apartment was going to need a lot of work before it was livable again. She was definitely going to lose her deposit. "I guess I could stay for a while."

"Really?" Henry beamed.

"Just for a little while." She didn't want him to get too excited. She'd be out of Storybrooke again in no time. She shifted in the bed wanting to sit up. The sharp pain in her ribs froze her in place and had her clutching her side. "Uh, Ruby? Could you help me get dressed?" She said through grit teeth.

"Wouldn't you rather have your wife do it?" Ruby teased, and was rewarded with both women's death glares. "Alright, alright." She learned her lesson, at least for now.

…

Regina and Henry waited patiently outside Emma's room, listening to her complain about Ruby's methods of helping until they erupted into a string of profanities.

Regina pressed her lips and turned to her son. "You didn't hear that."

"Hear what?" He grinned up at her.

"Good boy." She appreciated his lies.

The door swung open and bounced off the wheelchair Emma was sitting in. "Ow." The complaining continued.

Ruby backed up the chair to open the door enough to fit them through. She pushed forward and caught the chair on the edge of the doorframe, making Emma jolt forward. She clutched her sides with her casted arm. "Damn it Ruby, let Regina drive."

Things went more smoothly with Regina doing the steering as the four traveled down the halls until they reached the nurse's station.

"All set?" Krem stood up behind the desk.

"I think so." Emma said from the chair. "Thanks for everything, Krem."

"It was my pleasure." Krem offered sincerely. "I'm glad your family is here for you."

"Yeah..." Her voice lowered. "Me too." Maybe there weren't exactly family, but they were the closet she had ever had.

Krem's attention shifted to Henry. "Take good care of your mom, okay?"

"What?" Henry was confused until he realized he meant Emma. "Oh, right." He grinned. "I will."

...

Henry ran ahead in the parking lot as he spotted the cars. "Shotgun!" He called out and ran to the passenger side door of Ruby's car. "Oh," He remembered Emma's condition. "You can have shotgun, Emma, but I get to control the radio."

Regina slowed and brought the wheelchair to a gentle stop in front of the red car. "Don't you want to ride with me?"

"No offense mom, but you kind of drive like a grandma."

Regina deflated only slightly, and stood tall again with false bravado. Henry at least had the decency to look guilty.

"Actually, I think I've had enough of Ruby's driving for one day." Emma admitted.

Henry frowned, disappointed at her decision and accepting it was too late to change his.

Ruby left the women's side and moved to unlock her car. "So, we'll see you at your place?" She asked Regina.

"If you go even slightly over the speed limit with my son in your car, I will find out and I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do."

"Yeah, yeah." Ruby rolled her eyes. "I know the rules."

After getting Emma into the car and returning the wheelchair, the women were well on their way to Maine. They weaved in and out of traffic on the freeway, like a shark hunting for its prey.

Eventually, they caught up to the red car going exactly the speed limit in the middle lane. Regina pulled up beside it on the left and waited until both driver and passenger looked over.

Emma waved innocently unware of Regina's plans.

"Hold on Miss Swan." Regina shifted the gear and stepped on the gas. The black Mercedes roared forward leaving Ruby and Henry in the dust.

Emma braced her only good hand on the dashboard as they weaved much faster through traffic. Regina did not drive like a grandma.

...

It was late in the day when the elevator doors opened and a man dressed in too much leather stepped out. He held a bouquet of flowers and a determination in his step as he came to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me," Killian Jones smiled in a way he might have thought was suave.

Krem looked up from his papers, already unimpressed.

"Perhaps you could help me? I'm looking for Emma Swan."

Krem's fingers drummed against the desk as a warning bell sounded in is head. "Are you family?" He asked.

"She's my girlfriend."

"Really?" Krem sat up, smug that he could see right through this guy. He wasn't so easily fooled. "You just missed her, she went home with her _wife_."

The flowers bent under the pressure of his crushing grip. Swan having a wife was something he should have known. "Thank you." His smiled turned forced and lost its sparkle. He turned on his heels without another word and stalked to the elevator.

He pushed the crushed flowers into an old man's chest as he left the hospital. His arms swung aggressively as he walked through the parking lot to his waiting motorcycle.

Revving his engine loudly, he peeled out of the parking space. The back of his leather jacket stood out like a billboard. In the center adorned a skull and crossbones, and overtop, curvy letters read _The Jolly Rogers._

* * *

**a/n sooo this is now gonna be a multichapter fic. I'm gonna shoot for shorter chapters so I can post sooner. I have a bad habit of changing my mind about the order I want things in, so if i just post shorter chapters we'll all just have to live with it :P**

**Important note: I know I literately just started this again but I have a work thing coming up and I'm gonna be without technology or free time for roughly 3 months. I leave the week of thanksgiving. I hope to post more before then though, I guess we'll see what happens. The point is, I'll be back and I hope you'll understand my delays. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Emma Swan had slept in a lot of places throughout her life. Growing up she had slept in a multitude of temporary homes, on buses traveling to anywhere, in the backseats of parked cars that didn't belong to her, on sketchy couches in sketchy neighborhoods, in a prison cell, and sometimes, when she couldn't find a place, she didn't sleep at all. She never could have guess she would end up in Regina's bed, or one of them at least.

Her boxes were piled in a corner of the downstairs guest room. It was the only room she could make it to while avoiding the stairs. It had a fluffy bed, an attached bathroom, and a big screen TV. Emma didn't have much to complain about, other than the throbbing pain of her entire body, luckily Henry was there to help her forget about it.

He came through the open door holding more pillows than his arms could wrap around. "I got you some more pillows." He said party smothered. He dropped the load onto the bed where Emma was already tucked away, sitting against the headboard, with more than enough.

"Where'd you get all these?" Emma took one into her lap to make his efforts worthwhile.

"The other rooms." Henry shrugged. "Do you need anything else?"

"I think I'm-"

"Oh I know!" Henry jumped before she could answer. He ran out of the room and left Emma staring after him.

"…okay."

In the kitchen, Regina held open the refrigerator door as she stared into it. She knew the piece of cake was meant for Emma, but in that moment it was all she wanted. She bit her lip deliberating whether or not she had built up enough good karma to steal cake from an injured woman, a woman who was staying in her house and would be eating her food for the foreseeable future.

_Finders keepers_, she decided as she took the container. Uncapping the deep dish she bit her lip again, eager to dig into the chocolatey goodness. She set it on the kitchen island monetarily, as she retreated to the counters to retrieve a fork.

All of her dreams were crushed when she turned around.

"Thanks mom!" Henry picked up the cake and hurried back to Emma.

So much for karma.

Henry proudly placed the thick piece of cake on the pillow on Emma's lap. Her mouth instantly watered with need.

Henry watched her eagerly, waiting for her to take her first bite. She didn't know how he expected her to eat it. Normally she would dig right in with her hands, but washing them after would be a pain.

She lifted the dish with her good hand and went for the second best option. She lifted it to her face and leaned over to take a bite.

Regina cleared her throat in the doorway stopping Emma with her mouth agape, and softly waved a fork.

Emma grinned sheepishly, being caught in the act.

She dug in as soon as Regina handed the fork over, and took a big mouthful. Emma hummed in delight as the chocolate melted against her taste buds.

"Like it?" Henry asked.

Emma nodded, chewing on her second bite.

"Mom made it from scratch."

"Really?" She spoke with her mouth full. Crumbs of chocolate fell and scattered on the pillow and sheets.

Regina did them both a favor and ignored it, wrapping an arm around her son's shoulders. "It's time to get ready for bed."

"But-"

"Henry." She told him sternly, ready for their nightly arguing.

"Okay…" He suddenly shifted under her arm and briefly wrapped both of his around her in a quick hug. "Night Mom, night Emma."

"Goodnight." Both women responded as he made his way out.

Regina stood there with wide eyes unsure if she had imagined it or if those karma points were paying off after all.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked around another mouthful of cake.

Her eyes refocused and came back from space. "Of course." She smoothed down the side of her skirt.

The silence ate away at Emma as she ate away at the cake. "It's really good cake."

"I can imagine." Regina's eyes fell on the chocolate with an almost hunger, coveting the half eaten slice of cake.

"He didn't save you a slice, did he?"

Regina's eyes shot back up. "You know our son well."

"Do you…wanna share?" Emma asked innocently. There was enough for both of them, but she wasn't willing to completely give it up. At Regina's hesitance she added, "I swear I don't have cooties."

Regina smirked, knowing better. "That's what someone with cooties would say." She threw over her shoulder as she abandoned her for the door. Her almost playful tone left Emma with an unsure smile.

Regina soon returned with a fork of her own and joined Emma on the bed, occupying as little space as possible, but also taking over the TV.

They watched the evening news, passing the piece of cake between them, and passing time.

Emma looked over as Regina scraped the last bits of chocolate from the bottom of the dish. Regina's fork got about halfway to her mouth when Emma broke into a grin. Having cake, in bed, with Regina was another place she never expected to end up.

Regina's peripheral vision altered her to the staring blonde. "What?" She met her gaze.

Emma half-shrugged suddenly becoming shy. "Thanks for, you know, taking me in. Things have never been this bad before. I don't know what I would have done." She admitted. "I'll find a way to repay you for everything."

Regina dropped the fork back into the container and shook her head. "Just get better."

Emma nodded, that much she could do for now, but she would someday thank her properly.

"I should go check on Henry." Regina stood. She replaced her vacated spot on the bed with a pillow and carefully placed Emma's fractured wrist on top. "Don't stay up too late, you need your rest."

"Yes, mom." Emma mumbled, but corrected herself at Regina's glare. "Sorry, I mean honey."

Regina sighed and collected the empty dish to take with her. She paused with one hand on the doorknob. "Goodnight, Miss Swan."

"Goodnight, Mrs. Swan." She called out in return as the door closed.

"I hate you." The door clicked shut.

Emma didn't believe her for a second. She shifted her body wanting to lie down. The pain bit into her in what felt like every inch of her body. She maybe should have asked for help before Regina left.

…

Only a mop of dark hair was visible resting on a pillow. Regina was fast asleep tangled up in her blankets, blissfully dead to the world.

A voice pierced through her dreams as a whisper, and amplified as it repeated in her head until she finally stirred. She turned over. Her eyes wanted to stay closed and she let them win.

"Regina!"

She shot up. The whites of her eyes were red with exhaustion.

"Regina!" Emma's desperate voice echoed through the house.

The blankets were thrown off in an instant. Regina hopped out of bed and hurried into the hallway in her silk nightgown, turning on the lights as she went.

She spotted Emma from the top of the stairs, holding on to the banister down below. Her skin was a hot red, camouflaging every bruise and cut into one beacon that stood out against the stark white of Emma's bandages.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Regina asked as she descended the steps two at a time.

"It hurts." Emma looked up at Regina with pleading desperation for her to make it better.

Regina's hands fumbled in the air having no idea what to do to take her pain way. "Your prescription." Her palm slapped against her forehead as the realization struck her. In her one woman race to get home she had completely forgotten to get it filled. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought it could wait until morning." Emma had never been more wrong about anything.

"Okay." Regina took a breath to get her head on straight. She swept Emma's arm over her shoulder, taking as much weight from Emma as she could manage and slowly started leading Emma back to her room. "Let's get you into bed and then I'll go get it."

Emma nodded, fully agreeing with the plan.

As soon as she had Emma tucked in her bed, Regina scrambled into the foyer looking for everything she needed. She doubled checked the prescription was in her purse and hopped into her heels. It wasn't until she opened the door and the cold night air swathed around her legs, did she realize pants might be in order.

Deciding there wasn't time, she grabbed her long coat off the rack. The door closed behind her before she fully slipped into it.

...

The hot air steamed up from the exhaust pipe of Regina's idling car in the otherwise empty parking lot. The pharmacy had been closed for hours. Everything had been closed for hours.

That was the trouble with small towns.

Luckily for the Mayor, or more accurately, luckily for Emma, Regina was able to make some phone calls and put pressure on the pharmacist to open up for her.

It was almost three in the morning when headlights gleamed off the rearview mirror. Regina left the safety of her car to wait for Tom Clark at the door as he parked the rust bucket he called a car.

His feet dragged in his slippers all the way to the door. His robe and scruffy face gave him that just rolled out of bed look. His eyes were bloodshot, but it was difficult to differentiate between exhaustion and the cold he had had for what seemed like a lifetime.

He unlocked the door without so much as a glance her way. Regina followed him in and continued her waiting game as he turned off the alarm system and turned on the lights.

After wiping a hand down his face he finally turned to her. "What did you need again?"

She swiftly pulled the prescription from her purse and handed it over.

His tired eyes squinted as he read the scribbles on the paper. "This prescription is for Emma Swan." He said, equally surprised and confused.

"Yes." Regina deadpanned.

"Sheriff Emma Swan, the one who left?"

"Yes."

"And it was prescribed in Boston, Massachusetts?" His confusion only grew.

"Can you fill it or not?" Regina snapped, but remembered he was doing her a favor by just being there. She brought her tone down. "I need to get back to her."

He paused for a moment and then nodded. "Right." Though, Regina got the impression he was suddenly suspicious about something. He did a double take, watching her as he shuffled into the back room.

…

Regina carefully pulled the glass of water away from Emma's lips and helped her lower her head onto the pillows. She set the glass down on the nightstand next to the bottle of pills.

"The pain should fade soon." She pulled up Emma's blanket before walking away towards the boxes in the corner.

"If it doesn't you'll have to do me a favor and knock me out." Emma half-joked.

"Promises, promises."

If her face didn't feel like it was on fire Emma would have raised an eyebrow. She couldn't be sure what Regina meant by that, or what she was up to.

She watched curiously as Regina unstacked the boxes and dug through a few until she couldn't take it anymore. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for your lifeline." A pile of jeans fell out of a box as her hands disappeared into it. They reemerged again with Emma's phone and charger. "Aha."

The phone lit up as soon as she plugged it in to signify it was charging. Regina made sure it was within Emma's reach.

"If you need anything else just call or text. No more shrieking, you'll scare the neighbors."

"I didn't shriek." Emma protested through gritted teeth, still fighting the pain.

Regina frowned. There was nothing left she could do, but it didn't feel right to just go. She at least had to make sure the medicine worked.

"Are you just gonna stand there?" Emma finally asked.

"I...I" She looked away from the blonde and muttered the rest. "Idontwanttoleaveyou."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes at herself and repeated. "I don't want to leave you. Not until I know you're okay."

"I'm fine." The redness in her face and water in her eyes said otherwise.

Regina gave a stern look that said she didn't believe her, but was interrupted by a long yawn. The adrenaline from waking up to screams was finally waning. Her shoulders slightly slumped and her eyes drooped heavy as the exhaustion caught up. Standing was becoming too much of a chore.

Logic and reason left only one choice.

She migrated closer to the bed and tested it's firmness with a hand as if she didn't already know. "I'll just…let me know when you feel better and I'll go."

Before Emma could question her further, Regina pulled off her coat and climbed into bed.

Regina really wasn't going to leave her to suffer alone. From the moment she woke up in the hospital she was seeing another side of Regina, and now a whole lot of leg.

Regina's nightgown didn't leave much to the imagination. Her toned legs curled together on the bed and disappeared again under the coat she was using as a blanket.

Her eyes blinked heavily, trying to remain open. It was a losing battle from the moment she got comfortable. Only minutes later, her breathing deepened as sleep took her away.

And as the medication began to take effect, Emma wasn't far behind.

* * *

**A/N Short update because I'm short on time and I wanted to post something before i disappear again. I've been on holiday leave for the past two weeks and I fly back to work soon. Screw it, I'm in the Army and i have to go back to training. I'm gonna freakin miss you guys. I look forward to coming back and continuing this. The next chapter is going to be a lot of fun.**

**I heart Swen.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay so maybe i was away longer than i expected. This chapter is super short but it took me forever to remember how to write. I'm still remembering. I can't promise regular updates, but i'm trying. A part of me wonders if watching the show will get me back into a grove, but I don't know if i hate myself that much. I'm really excited to get back into reading and writing. I've missed this.**

* * *

Chapter 4

Henry popped up, sitting in bed. The sleep drained from his eyes and a boyish grin joined his ruffled hair. It was a new day, and with Emma there it was already a good day.

The blankets ripped up as he threw them off, more than eager for the day.

His white socks slipped up and down the floors as he hurried in the halls and down the stairs. Emma's door was ajar; he saw no reason to knock.

Bursting through, he was greeted by a sight that made his eyes almost fall out of his head. Regina was carefully tucked against Emma's side. The coat covering her legs was barely hanging on from her movement throughout the night.

Deciding he had seen enough, Henry took slow steps backwards until he reached the safety of the hallway.

The house was quiet when Regina woke. Not unusual for her daily routine, but the brightness of the morning sun already filling up the room told her she was running late. The warmth from the body she was pressed against reminded her of why.

She flinched back; tired eyes suddenly wide open in surprise. They shrunk again as Emma's heavy breaths reassured her the blonde was still asleep. There was no proof it ever happened. She gathered her coat and tactfully peeled herself away.

As her footsteps headed for the door, a green eye popped open and a smirk spread across split lips. Maybe there was no proof, but there were witnesses; Regina Mills was a cuddler.

Being a single mother for eleven years, Regina had mastered the art of getting ready in a hurry, without sacrificing her reputation of being pristine and put together.

Henry was waiting for her at the bottom of the staircase. His eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought and remained there the entire car ride to school. As they pulled up to the curve, he turned to her, his mouth slightly agape as if he wanted to say something.

"Yes?" Regina wondered.

There was a pause before he finally spoke. "Are you..." A million questions flashed through his eyes, but with a shake of his head he let them all go. "Bye mom."

"Henry." Regina stopped him as he popped open the door. "Is everything alright?"

He thought for another moment, then shrugged. "I don't know yet."

She worried her lip, not wanting to press. "You know I'm always here for you."

"And for Emma too?"

"I...Yes, of course."

His permanent furrow somehow increased as he nodded and sent him back into his own head.

"I love you!" Regina called after him as he closed the car door behind him. He turned back and through the window she saw him smile. The corners of her mouth lifted with joy.

* * *

"I'm telling you fellas, something fishy is going on." Tom Clarke kept his voice low as he told his friends around the table about the night's events. They sat there in Granny's Diner with varying faces of disbelief.

Leroy snorted. "You're saying Emma Swan is back and the Mayor is nursing her back to health?"

"Yes." Tom said eagerly.

Leroy leaned forward in his seat and asked for clarity. "Regina?"

"Yes!"

The men sat in silence for a moment, considering their friend's adamant declarations. He really believed what he was saying.

The moment passed and roars of laughter filled the air. They bent over in their seats, fists banged against the table and Leroy slapped at his knee. Their faces turned red in their uncontrollable fits.

A bell rang above the door, the men quickly slapped at each other to sober up, but it was too late. Regina eyed the group with a raised eyebrow on her way to the counter.

"Good morning, Mayor." Tom, red with embarrassment, greeted her.

She offered a half-wave in return; it was more than she had ever given. The men's brows all shot up in surprise. Perhaps there was something to their friend's story after all.

Regina rolled her eyes at their dumbfounded looks, it was too early for their idiocy.

"Hey," Ruby smiled and leaned against the counter. "How's the patient?"

"As good as she can be, I suppose." Regina sighed. "It was a bit of a long night."

The men sitting at the table nearby choked on their food and drinks. Tom looked anywhere but her as his friends coughed. She gave them a once over, but paid no mind.

"Coffee?" Ruby offered sympathetically.

"Please." Regina agreed. "And one for Miss Swan as well."

Ruby smirked, but didn't say a thing.

Regina stopped her, before she walked away. "And one of those pastry things she likes so much."

The smirk grew to a grin. "Coming right up."

The mayor dug through her purse until she found her phone and began the day's duties by sifting through emails. She shot a quick text to inform her assistant she would be working from her home office.

Regina looked up to see Ruby exchanging words with Lacey. The young Australian was still learning the ins and outs of waitressing, but she had a willing and eager teacher with their mutual friend.

Ruby stepped away to answer the dinging of the bell, leaving Lacey to finish filling the coffees. She picked up the cups and read the name. "Order for… Mrs. Swan?"

Laughter erupted from Ruby as she bent over a table unable to contain herself.

Regina pressed her lips together; she should have seen it coming. "That's mine, dear."

"Oh!" Lacey's eyes lit up as she walked over with the order. "Congratulations." She said surprised, but sincere.

Regina only managed a hum in acknowledgement. She didn't even know where to begin to explain it away; she would just have to make Ruby fix it later. Taking her coffees and pastry, she failed to notice the dumbfounded looks on the patrons in Granny's Diner as she made her way out.

* * *

The rest of the morning was slow, mostly filled with mundane phone calls complaining about the interim sheriff. It wasn't her fault he was incompetent; they were all so incompetent. Sidney Glass ended up being a dud sheriff. Running every little thing passed her before he took action. Regina didn't have time to do her job and his. He was so grateful when she fired him. She was still dealing with the repercussions of letting Ruby play Sheriff for a day when she managed to get herself arrested in the next town over. David Nolan wasn't her first choice, but at this point he was her only choice.

Regina's phone rang pulling out of her thoughts. She rolled her eyes and Sidney's name displayed on her personal phone. "What?" She answered.

"Mayor! I went to your office and you weren't there!" His voice was animated with lining of panic.

"I'm working from home today."

"Yes, that's what your assistant said."

Regina's eyes squinted, already annoyed by the conversation. "Sidney, what do you want?"

"I need to speak with you, it's an emergency."

At that moment the doorbell rang throughout the house. "How big of an emergency? There's someone at the door."

"Yes, it's me!"

"I swear to god Sidney, someone better be dying."

He was still standing with the phone at his ear when Regina opened the door, actively listening to the silence on the other end. She waited a beat before interrupting. "Well, what is it?"

He jumped, surprised by her presence, but finally put the phone. "It's Emma Swan."

"Emma?" She breathed sharply. Emma was fine last time she checked on her, asleep and dead to the world, but it had been hours. She couldn't have snuck away. Her heart suddenly pounded in her chest. Flashes of Emma collapsed in the street invaded her mind. As she turned on her heel to run to her room, he stopped her with his words.

"The whole town thinks you're married!" He yelled aghast.

She turned back to him, her annoyance and sudden anger fueling her own words. "What the hell, Sidney."

"I know! It's ridiculous!"

"That's not an emergency!" She snapped at him, still fighting the urge to go check on her blonde guest. "I don't care what the town thinks."

"But, Mayor Mills, your reputation."

"What about it?"

"Do you really want people thinking you're married to that-that woman? She's a scoundrel and-and a criminal!"

"She was a child!" Regina argued. "A child who came from nothing and still managed to build herself up. Emma Swan was born with a bad hand. No," She continued the analogy. "She was born with no hand, but she still managed to build herself up. She's a self-made woman with a successful business. And more importantly she hasn't let the world corrupt her. She's kind, and giving, and true to herself, and" She stopped herself before she said beautiful. "And Henry loves her."

Sidney stared at her, unbelieving mouth agape, unprepared for the question he needed to ask. "Regina…" He got a glimpse of blonde hair behind her. "Emma?!"

"Hey." She leaned against the wall, needing the support, but doing her best to pretend she didn't. She brought the cup from Granny's to her lips and took a long sip of cold coffee, making sure to show off the name that was written there.

Sidney was dumbstruck, looking in-between booth women, unable to decide which question to ask first. Finally, his eyes landed on Emma, her injuring being the bigger one. "What happened to you?"

"Goodbye, Sidney." Regina simply flicked the door closed.

Emma rewarded her with a crooked smile. "You're really into this Mrs. Swan thing aren't you?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Miss Lucas thinks she's funny."

Emma took a smug sip of coffee deciding not to believe her.

"We both know you would be Mrs. Mills."

The coffee suddenly betrayed her, trying to go down the wrong tube. She choked instantly, throwing her arm around her rib in an empty attempt to hold the pain as her coughing added pressure against them. She needed to remember not to consume things around other people.

Regina sighed sadly, waiting for the coughing to stop, before taking Emma's arm and leading her back to bed.

"Thanks for sticking up for me." Emma mentioned shyly.

"It was only the truth."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Forty-Two. It was the number permanently engraved into Regina's mind. It was the number the city council was so sure to remind her of every chance they got. It was the number of cases "Sheriff" David Nolan had managed to screw up. It was also the same number of calls she had gotten from several different Judges informing her that "her sheriff" had wasted their time.

Luckily for Regina, they wouldn't be screaming that number at her anymore. No. In just one wonderful day David Nolan had racked that number up to forty-seven. Forty-Seven. Regina had to admit, it was an impressive feat.

The mayor flipped through another file of a potential replacement at her desk. She was still getting used to working in her office again. It was cold and quiet compared to her home office, even more so with most of the staff having already gone home for the day.

A soft knock on the door was a surprising, but welcome distraction. That is until the door opened and Sidney Glass let himself it.

"What now, Sidney?"

"I figured it out." The reporter told her with a smugness that made him look like an absolute cabbage. "I got a hold of the police reports from Emma's attack." He tapped on his briefcase, proud of himself before he helped himself to a seat across from Regina's desk. "It seems our favorite former sheriff got herself into quite the bit of trouble." He leaned forward in his seat. "You're helping her as she recovers."

"Oh no, you caught me." Regina said, bored.

"You should have told me! It's genius!" Sidney sat back while the wheels turned in his head. "You're doing a good deed. Voters will really respond to this. I can see the headline now, 'Mayor Saves Sheriff'."

"What? No."

"I suppose it is a bit on the nose."

"No, Sidney." Her tone turned sharp. "You're not publishing my personal life, nor Miss Swan's."

"Why not? Do you want to wait until she's completely recovered?" He got excited again, "Is she coming back as Sheriff? Do you want to tell people then?"

"No!" Regina snapped to get his attention. She had to make sure he was listening. "Our private lives are just that, private."

Sidney retreated into his thoughts, dumbfounded. "Then what do you want to tell people?"

"Nothing." Regina said plainly. The only people that needed to know would know.

"Regina," Sidney finally turned serious. "People know she's here. They know she's staying with you. If you don't set the record straight, people are going to continue to assume you're…"

"Gay?" Regina threw in, unable to resist.

Sidney rolled his eyes. "I was going to say 'canoodling with _that _woman'."

"People like _that_ woman. I don't see how this is a problem. "

The reporter shook his head. "The wrong people, regular people."

Regina's headache didn't let her ask what the hell that meant; she just wanted to be done with the conversation. "It appears you're not following, so let me reiterate," Regina laced her fingers on her desk calmly. "I don't care."

"If you won't let me publish an article with the truth, you should at least distance yourself in public. You can still salvage your reputation."

The mayor's entangled hands lifted up to her mouth where she tapped her index fingers against her lips as she thought. She brought them down and freed them of each other. With sure fingers she quickly dialed out a number on her office phone.

"Regina?" Emma's voice came through the speakers.

"Miss Swan, have you eaten?"

"Henry and I wanted to wait for you, we were thinking about ordering pizza."

"Better idea, why don't we all go to Granny's. You know, somewhere _public_," She locked eyes with Sidney. "With _people_."

"Uh…sure?"

"Good. I'll pick you up in 20." Regina hung up the line before Emma could reply. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" She asked the reporter.

"You're making a mistake, Regina." He told her somberly.

But it was Regina's mistake to make.

...

Time flew by for Emma with Henry and Regina as distractions. Before she knew it, she could breathe again, she could laugh, and smile. It didn't hurt to be alive. Mostly.

As she got stronger Regina lessened her watchful care and went back to work, confident Emma wouldn't fall down and be a helpless turtle; an analogy that Emma found offensive and used as fuel to continue building her strength.

With her head low and her gaze shifting, Emma walked behind Regina and their son as they made their way to Granny's Diner. Other than Ruby she hadn't really seen anyone since she'd been back. Between doctor's appointments she didn't get out much. Her face still showed the remnants of the beating she had thoroughly taken, especially around her eyes. She did what she could with a little bit of make-up, but there was no hiding her casted arm.

"Hey, look what the mayor dragged in!" Ruby greeted as the trio came through the front gate.

A few heads popped up from their menus and meals, all to take a gander.

"Not now, Rubes." Emma nervously rubbed at the back of her neck.

"Emma? So it's true?" Mary Margret Blanchard stepped out of the door and proceeded down the steps to meet her once roommate. "Ruby said you were married, but I didn't actually believe her."

"Ruby." Emma chastised and then turned back to Mary Margret. "We're not married."

"It's only a matter of time." The waitress shot back as she left the group to tend to a table.

"You could have told me, Emma. We're friends. I can't say I'm not surprised. I mean, Regina, really?"

"I'm standing right here." The mayor reminded.

"Oh no! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you, both of you! Love is hard, and confusing, and sometimes comes in the most inconvenient places." She laughed a little to herself. "Who am I to judge?"

Almost as if summoned a car pulled up behind the group and Mary Margret broke into a wide smile at the sight of her newly divorced live-in boyfriend. "Here's David now."

David waved sheepishly through the passenger side window. Henry happily returned the gesture while Regina's lip curled in almost a snarl. Emma's brow furrowed confused by the brand new Dodge Charger with 'Storybrooke Sherriff' written across its side.

"Is that?" Emma, barely managed to spit out as she pointed.

"New cruiser." Henry grinned.

"What happened to the old one?" She frowned deeply.

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose as if trying to suppress a bad memory.

"Ruby crashed it." Henry almost chuckled.

"You're welcome." Ruby winked as she passed with an armful of plates.

"Please inform you're equally terrible half he'll be giving up the keys soon." Regina reminded.

"You're really going to fire him?" Mary Margret frowned.

"I have to."

"Wait what?" Emma's interest piqued. She wouldn't mind having the keys.

A tinge of excitement sparked in Mary Margret's eyes. "Are you coming back as Sheriff?"

"No." Regina cut in before Emma could answer. They hadn't talked about it. Emma didn't even know it was an option. Though with the way she responded Emma supposed it wasn't.

"That's a shame." Suddenly, Mary Margret's arms were wrapped around her old roommate. "It's really good to see you again." She backed off only to stop again with a hand on Emma's casted arm. "What happened?"

Emma sighed, not knowing where to begin and feeling guilty for not reaching out. "It's kind of a long story."

"I have to go, but maybe we can catch up soon and you can give me all the dirty details?" Mary Margret looked between both women mischievously. "Call me?"

Emma grit her teeth, but nodded in agreement. She had no idea how she was going to clear this one up.

...

Emma remained vigilant as she took another bite of her grilled cheese. She kept catching the diner's patrons staring; throwing her a few dirty looks, a sleazy wink, and occasional thumbs up, but mostly genuine smiles. She didn't know which ones started the fire of panic in chest, but she was ready to burst as soon as Henry excused himself and left his mothers alone in the booth.

"Regina, what the hell?" Emma leaned across the table to whisper.

Regina looked at her confused.

"People actually think we're…a thing?" She clarified.

"So I've been told." She simply shrugged.

"Why didn't you stop it?"

"I didn't see a reason to." Regina bit back. "I'm sorry if the idea of being with me is so repulsive. Ms. Lucas likes to talk. What would you have me do? Bend her over and spank her?" She paused to look into Emma's green eyes with scorn. "But then I suppose that would only shift the rumors. Idiots like to jump to conclusions."

Emma shrank back into the booth, remembering having the same thought about the mayor and the waitress. She mumbled something to the liking of, "I was technically on drugs." When she found the courage to look at Regina again, she added. "And I don't think..."

"I'm aware." Regina threw in when the blonde paused.

Emma rolled her eyes, but smiled regardless as she started over. "I'm sure you'd be a great wife."

Henry chose that moment to come back to the booth. He stood there for a moment, looking between his mothers. They looked back at him curiously until he finally sat down without a word to continue his meal.

* * *

**A/N: another short one. I thought about skipping this chapter but i had already written more than half of it and it does set things up for the future so i thought screw it and continued :P**

**Thanks for sticking with me and being patient. And thank you so much for the encouraging words so many of you leave me. I'm glad you're enjoying this as much as I am. Believe me, we are just getting started.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N slow updates are slow, but im not quitting. Love you guys, thanks for putting up with me. hashtagheartshape**

* * *

Chapter 6

The door slowly opened, letting in light from the hallway briefly, until Emma blocked it with her body and closed the door behind her. The home office was dark, but she moved swiftly not giving her eyes time to adjust. She was on a mission and time was of the essence. She didn't know how much time she had, it could have been a minute or all night for all she knew. In and out, that was the plan.

Emma's hand snaked around under the back of her shirt where she pulled out a manila folder that was tucked in the waist of her pants. Her steps were quick but careful as she crept to Regina's desk. Her sights were set on the small pile of files sitting on top. She flipped through a few, fingering the names and eventually back tracking, finding the perfect place for her folder.

"Can I help you with something?"

Emma jumped at the sound of Regina's voice, sending folders flying and their contents scattering.

The light on an end table click on before the papers hit the ground.

"Jesus!" Emma's pupils shrunk with the light, only to grow with her surprise. "What are you doing sitting in the dark?"

Regina tilted her glass, stirring the ice in her beverage. "It's my house, Miss Swan." She took a sip before expanding her explanation. "I do what I want. The bigger question being: What are _you_ doing sneaking around in the dark?"

Emma rocked on her feet, "Oh you know, just...cleaning up." She knelt to pick up the papers in no particular order.

Regina rolled her eyes, setting her glass down and getting up to contain the disaster. She did her best to put files back where they looked like they belonged, but there was only so much she could do without a more thorough inspection. Regina paused mid clean up, picking up a file with a name she hadn't see before. She presented it to the blonde kneeling beside her without a word.

"Whoa hey, how'd that get in there? Better have a look." Emma took the rest of the folders and files and put them haphazardly back on the desk. Regina let her usher her back to the couch where they both sat down. Emma took the folder only to open it and place it back in Regina's lap.

Regina looked over it's context. Flipping through pages silently until she finally looked up. "You can't list 'badassery' as a skill."

"Why not? It's a real word. I googled it."

"It's not appropriate." Regina sighed putting the papers back and closing Emma's resume. "What is this for?"

"Seriously?" Emma looked at her like she was the crazy one. "The sheriff job. I didn't have to write a resume last time, and it isn't really a requirement for bounty hunting, so I'm not really sure what I'm doing."

"That's also a skill you shouldn't put on paper."

"Regina." Emma tone turned serious.

Regina stood and walked to her desk to put the folder down. "I'm sorry, Emma. I can't offer you the position."

"Why not?" Emma got to her feet quickly. "I can change my resume if you don't like it." Regina turned her back to her to rifle and sort through the other folders. "Please, Regina?"

"No."

"Pretty, please?"

"No."

"I gave you a son."

Regina finally put down the file in front of her to turn back to the relentless blonde.

"I need a job, you have a job, I'm qualified for the job, give me the job." Emma said it like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like there weren't politics and red tape, or her arm hadn't only just come out of its cast. "I can't just sit around anymore." The blonde admitted.

"You're not sitting around." Regina affirmed. "You're healing."

"I'm good." Emma patted her ribs harder than she intended. She cleared her throat in an attempt to hide her wince. "I'm the only one in this town with real experience in law enforcement."

"And what are we supposed to do when you decide to run away again?"

Emma frowned. It was a fair point. "Well I lost my apartment and my deposit if that helps."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't think it mattered." Emma shrugged. "I can't go back there."

Regina's arm twitched, resisting the urge to reach out. "How much do you need? I could-"

"Don't." Emma stopped her. "It's not about the money, I just want to feel useful. It's not like you're getting any other good candidates, right? You would have hired someone by now."

"Actually, there are quite a few." Regina sighed. "Salary negotiations is where I lose them. I need a sheriff for a small town, not Guantanamo bay."

"I could be your sheriff." Emma told her with too much sadness.

"Emma..."

"I was a good sheriff."

"You were."

"So give me another chance."

"It isn't really up to me."

"It is if you don't try."

Regina stared into green eyes, amused and slightly proud that logic was being used against her. "Okay." She finally nodded. "I'll try."

"Really?" Emma's smile bloomed without the scabs and bruises to hold her back.

"The council will fight me at every step, but yes, I will try."

Emma took a step forward without thinking, ready to wrap the other woman in a bear hug. Regina stopped her with a pointed finger in warning.

"It's not a guarantee." The mayor reminded.

Emma grinned. "It's you, of course it is."

* * *

The stage was set for the officiating ceremony, and the auditorium was filled with scattered tables. Guests awaiting to greet their new sheriff, or in this case their old one.

Emma scratched at her uniform, too hot and too itchy.

"Nervous?" Ruby teased from their shared table.

Emma huffed. "I can't believe I let her talk me into wearing this thing." She tugged at her collar where her tie was constricting her airflow. "It's a monkey suit." Emma cringed, suddenly remembering the other guests at the table, and was stricken with guilt at the sight of the frowning man who wore his uniform diligently, even his newly demoted one. "No offense." She added too little, too late.

"Way to kick a guy when he's down." Ruby leaned in to whisper. "You already took his job."

"I happen to enjoy a man in uniform." Mary Margret reached over to straighten David's tie, finally eliciting a smile.

Ruby flashed a smile of her own, only more sly and conniving. "Maybe that's how Regina likes her women."

Emma didn't have time to even roll her eyes before Henry cut in from his seat next to her. "There's mom!"

Henry and the others watched the stage as Regina made her way to the podium. The council sat back in their seats behind her. The crowd quickly died down without prompting. Their mayor had the floor.

"Thank you all for being here to welcome back our Sheriff from her extended leave. Deputy Nolan has done his best in her absence, and we thank him for his hard work and dedication. Emma Swan came to us a stranger, but quickly joined the ranks of our little town as a friend, and someone we can count on to be there when we need a _savior_, of sorts." She easily found Emma and Henry's smiling faces, proud of herself for the line they knew was for them. "If the woman of honor would join me."

Emma quickly left the table and found the stairs onto the stage. She stood tall as Regina carefully pinned the shield to her shirt and the room filled with applause.

"Welcome back Sheriff Swan."

Cameras flashed almost as bright as Emma's smile. "Thanks, Madame Mayor."

Henry ran onto the stage. Wrapping one arm around his blonde mother and the other around his brunette, he brought them together in a proud embrace.

"Mayor Mills, over here" Sidney called for their attention. "One for the paper."

His mothers pried him loose to turn him around for the camera. They held him between them, each beaming a smile. The shutter on Sidney's camera opened and closed, capturing the moment forever.

* * *

A pneumatic wrench echoed in the small dirty shop, almost drowning out the sound of a notification on his phone.

Killian Jones slid out from under a car, wiping grease from his hand onto his shirt before sitting up to check his phone.

His google alert sent him an article popped up from a nowhere land newspaper. He thumbed through it, thinking it was another false flag, but a grin grew almost as fast as he saw it. It just goes to show, if he wanted something done, he had to do it himself.

A captioned picture told him everything he needed to know. _Sheriff Emma Swam welcomed back with open arms by Mayor Regina Mills and their son_. Emma Swan was long overdue for a visit.

"Pack it up, lads!" He called back into the shop. "We're going to Maine!"


End file.
